Ore-separator.



No. 877,411; PATENTE'D JAN. 21, 1908.

. 4 A. OUSTER, DEGD.

J. OUSTER, ADMINISTRATOR.

ORE SBPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Q N PATENTED JAN. 21 1908.

- o A. CUSTER, DEGD.

J. GUSTER, ADMINISTRATOR.

' ORE SEPARATOR. APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 29, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. AARON (DUSTER, OF MONROE, IOWA; JOHN OUSTER ADMINISTRATOR OF SAID AARON OUSTER,

DECEASED.

ORE-SE PARATOR Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON CUs'rER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monroe, in the county of Jasper and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Ore- Separator, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for separating ore from gravel and other substances.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section longitudinally of the machine, enlarged in respect of Figs. 1 and 2.

In the construction of the machine as shown, a frame is constructed of vertical posts 1O, 11 connected to vertical posts 12, 13, of less height than the first posts, by horizontal bars 14, 15, the upper ends of the latter posts connected by a cross-bar 16, and the upper ends of the first posts connected by and supporting a primary hopper 17 adapted to contain .the aggregate matter to be separated, such as placer gravel. A trough 18 is mounted in an inclined position longitudinally of the frame and is pivotally supported at one end on a shaft 19 in and connecting the posts 10, 11 below the hopper 17. A jigger frame 20 is secured to and beneath the center and free end of the trough 18 and an adjusting screw 21 is mounted in the outer end of said jigger frame and rests at times on the crossbar 16. It is the function of the screw 21 to determine the degree of oscillation of the inclined trough 18. A jigger wheel 22, of ratchet formation, is mounted for rotation in bearings fixed to and rising from the bars 15 of the frame, and is belted to and driven by a fan-shaft 23 journaled in bearings on the lower portions of the posts 10, 1 1. The fan-shaft 23 is driven by belting a pulley 24 thereon to a prime mover not shown. A screen 25 is mounted in and forms part of the bottom of the trough 18 adjacent the initial end of said trough and a hopper 26 is mounted on and communicates with a flume 27 mounted between and extending rearwardly from the posts 10, 11. A fan-chamber 28 is mounted on and communicates with the inner end of the fiume 27 and a centrifugal fan 29 is mounted for rotation in said fan-chamber and is driven by belting to the fan-shaft 23. A removable and replaceable receptacle 30 is mounted in and longitudinally of the flume 27 and is provided with transverse cleats'31 near the outer end of the bottom thereof. transversely of the initial end portion of the flume 27 and is adapted to govern the amount and force of a current of air sent through the fiume by the fan 29. The mesh of the screen 25 is very fine and permits only the finest particles of the aggregate matter to pass to the hopper 26 and flume 27. A valve 33 controls the admission of air to the fan-chamber 28.

Slots 34, 35 and 36 are formed in and transversely of the free end portion of the bottom of the trough 18 and screens 37 38 and 39 are mounted on and beneath said trough and communicate with said slots at their upper ends. The screens 37, 38 and 39 are inclined opposite to the inclination of the trough 18 and graduate as to mesh, the coarser mesh being in the first screen 37 to receive the first deposit from the trough. A bottom plate 40 is mounted beneath the screen 39 to convey the matter which passes through said screen. The screens 37 38, and 39 and the bottom plate 40 are fixed to and rise and fall with the free end portion of the trough under the influence of the jigger Wheel 22.

F lumes 41, 42 and 43 are arranged in series one above the other in and longitudinally of the main frame of the machine, and said flumes communicate at their rear ends with a fan-chamber 44 traversed by the fanshaft 23, and a centrifugal fan 45 is mounted on said shaft, within said chamber. A valve 46 controls the admission of air to the fan-chamber 44. Dampers 47, 48 and 49 are mounted in and transversely of the flumes 41, 42 and 43 and are adapted for rotary adjustment to determine the quantity and force of currents of air sent through said flumes by the fan 45. A hopper 50 is mounted beneath the delivery end of the screen 37 and communicates with the flume 41 through the flumes 42, 43 and the matter delivered from said screen to the flume 41 is prevented by a fine screen 51 from passing out through the upper flumes. A hopper 52 A damper 32 is mounted in and is mounted beneath the delivery end of the screen 38 and communicates with the flume 42 through the flume'43, and the matter delivered by said screen to the flume 42 is prevented by a fine screen 53 from entering the flume 43. A hopper 54 is mounted beneath the delivery ends of the screen 39 and bottom board 40 and communicates with the flume 43. Receptacles 55, 56 and 57 are mounted removably in and longitudinally of the 'flumes 41, 42 and 43 respectively, and each receptacle is provided with cleats 58 transversely of their bottoms. It is the function of the riffles 31 and 58 to provide obstructions to and prevent the escape of flat and heavy particles of gold and at the same time-permit the rounder particles of gravel to be blown away through the 'flumes. It is the function of the screens to divide and graduate the aggregate matter treated by the machine and facilitate the treatment of such matter by the air currents sent through the flumes by the'fans. It is the function of the jigging mechanism to facilitate the travel of matter along the trough 18 and through the various screens to the hoppers 26, 50, 52

and 54. The receptacles 30, 55, 56 and 57 are made removable relative to the flumes, to facilitate removal of the gold-dust accumulated therein and they are practically and advantageously removable parts of said The aggregate matter to be treated may be placed in the primary hopper 17 by any-desired means.

I claim as my invention 1. In an ore separator, a suitable frame, a plurality of flumes horizontally mounted on said frame, screens extending down in the upper flumes, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, feeding mechanism .leading'from said trough and communicating with said flumes, and jigging mechanism acting on said feeding device.

3. An ore separator, comprising a suitable frame, fiumes mounted on said frame, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, riffles removably mounted in said flumes, dampers in said flumes, a trough for aggregate material mounted on said frame, a feeding device leading from said trough and communicating with said flumes, and jigging mechanism acting on said feeding device.

4. An ore separator, comprising a suitable frame, flumes mounted on said frame, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, hoppers communicating with said flumes, a container for aggregate material mounted on said frame, a trough mounted for oscillation and leading from said container, and screens carried by said trough and communicating with said hoppers.

5. An ore separator, comprising a suitable frame, flumes mounted on said frame, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, hoppers communicating with said flumes, a container for aggregate material mounted on said frame, a trough mounted for oscillation on said frame and communicating with said container, a screen in said trough communicating with one of said hoppers, and screens mounted in inclined planes beneath said trough and communicating with the remaininghoppers. r 6. An ore separator, comprising a suitable frame, flumes on said frame, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, hoppers communicating with said flumes, screens mounted transversely of some of said flumes, a container for aggregate material mounted on said frame, a trough mounted for oscillation on said frame and inclined thereon and communicating with said container, a screen in the initial end portion of said trough communicating with one of said hoppers, and screens beneath the terminal end portion of said trough and in inclined planes and communicating with the remainder of said hop pers.

7. An ore separator, comprising a suitable frame, flumes on said frame, blast mechanism communicating with said flumes, a container for aggregate material mounted on said frame, a trough pivoted at one end on said frame and leading from the container to the flumes in inclined position, jigging mechanism acting on said trough, and an adjusting device carried by said trough and adapted to engage said frame and determine the degree of oscillation of said trough by the jig- AARON CUSTER.

ging mechanism.

WVitnesses:

JOHN OUsTER, O. B. WRIGHT. 

